Brief History of St. Mary Parish

Catholics of the Marshall area were serviced out of Northville, MI as far back as 1837. As a mission, priests came on horseback to serve the people here, priests like Fathers Morrissey, Cullen and Hennessy. Father James Hennessy became the first resident pastor in 1852, and in 1853 the first church was dedicated. Records were first kept under the second pastor, Father P.C. Koopmans.

The first baptism record was Mary Hamilton on May 27, 1855. On May 31, 1855 James Wall and Bridget Farell were the first couple whose marriage was recorded here. Under Father Koopmans, the first school opened in 1856 and the Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary came in 1864 to teach. Cemetery land was purchased in 1866.

One of the better known pastors was Father Peter A. Baart who came here in 1882. He opened a new school in 1883, reorganized the Altar Society, and is responsible for building the present church structure. It was dedicated on October 27, 1889. In 1900, the well-remembered Baart Hall was opened. Father Baart died in 1908 and is buried in our cemetery chapel. Father George Clarson, who was pastor from 1919 to 1932, is also buried in our cemetery.

When the parish was founded in 1852 and when the present church was built in 1889, it was part of the Archdiocese of Detroit. One of the front windows in the church was donated by Bishop Gallagher of Detroit. In 1937, Lansing became a diocese, a break with the Archdiocese of Detroit. Thus, Marshall became part of the new diocese. In 1948, under Father Patrick McGuinnes, the church was renovated. It was at this time that the Rosary Altar Society bought a new marble altar at a cost of $4,000. A small part of this altar now stands under the tabernacle in our church. During the pastorate of Father Julius Hengesbach, 1966 to 1974, as a result of liturgical changes in the Second Vatican Council, other changes were made in the church. See History Photo Album

In 1971, the Diocese of Kalamazoo was formed, and the parish became part of the new diocese under Bishop Paul Donovan. Bishop Alfred Markiewicz was installed as our second bishop on January 31, 1995. Bishop Markiewicz was succeeded by Bishop James Murray in 1998. Bishop Paul Bradley is the current Bishop.

During the pastorate of Father Donald Wieber, 1974 to 1981, the present Parish Center was built to replace Baart Hall. Our church was renovated in 1988 and rededicated on August 13, 1988.

It is interesting that parish history often revolves around the pastors and their buildings, but not forgotten are the people who come to a parish to be baptized, educated, married and buried.